Abstract
Opioid induced accidental overdoses account for more deaths each year than motor vehicle accidents alone. In fact, it is the number one cause of accidental deaths in America (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2016). The amount of opioid prescriptions written in the last decade has quadrupled in America, as we account for 80% of the world's opioid use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). Although it is known that primary care providers are responsible for 50 percent of the opioid prescriptions written, there are little educational requirements surrounding this practice. Previous studies have not adequately examined the effects of furthering provider education surrounding the risks associated with opioid use (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). The purpose of the proposed project was to assess the current chronic pain management curriculum at an advanced practice registered nursing program at a private university located in the Midwest. Subsequent evidence based recommendations for the curriculum were reported.|Key Words: Pain Management Education, Opioids, Educational Requirement's, Opioid Epidemic